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Thread: The Kingdom of Arcadune

  1. #1
    Guild Novice EdythMiller's Avatar
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    Map The Kingdom of Arcadune

    I was introduced to this forum yesterday and was so inspired that I pulled out one of my old map concepts and created it anew with all the new tricks I just learned.

    Created in Photoshop 7 (the curved text was created in Illustrator 8). Used a mouse. Took about a day, all told.

    The Kingdom of Arcadune is one of four countries on a small island continent. Though it holds the central-most position geographically, it is culturally isolated. The map represents that- it highlights only the area the Arcadanians are most interested in- their own territory. The whole island sits about 500 miles north of the tropics, so Arcadune has a warmish temperate climate (think Tennessee). The slightly greener areas indicate forests.

    I wanted it to look kind of girly and soft- almost cartoony- as the Arcadanians are a very docile people. They are politicians, scholars, architects, and the like, not warriors. Their general social structure is late medieval, but they are a bit more technologically advanced, so I included more modern elements, like the scale bar and the detailed compass rose (which is Dutch in origin, not sure where I found it).

    I'd love to hear what ya'll think! I've always loved cartography, especially of the fantasy world-building kind, so I'm thrilled to find that I'm not alone and that this isn't strange!

    Janis
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  2. #2
    Guild Artisan Facebook Connected AslanC's Avatar
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    Very nice work sir

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    Professional Artist Facebook Connected Coyotemax's Avatar
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    If playing around making maps is wierd, then you've stumbled across the Keep of the Truly Odd.



    Not bad, it's got a clean style to it, and does get the effect you were going for. but Girlish? you obviously don't know some of the women I know (I was working on a gore/blood themed flash intro for a friend's website a few months ago, and my wife looks at it and tells me there's not nearly enough blood in the scene - "the guy with the sword should be postively dripping with it".. heh)

    But yeah, not too bad. Depending on how detailed you get with the background I could see some very interesting long term effects to this world if one was to start playing in the world as it is (example, how are relations with Buthadel? that's a pretty long border, if that nation is aggressive, it won't take much for them to push Lorshan back past the mountains and claim that territory for their own)

    My finished maps
    "...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."

  4. #4
    Guild Novice EdythMiller's Avatar
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    he he. I'm a chick. Not sure that came across in my original post.

    I was going for more of a grown-up bubble-gum girl slant than the blood and gore variety

    Actually, Arcadune once tried to invade Buthadel (ancient history) and utterly failed at it. Buthadel is a very thick old forest. Imagine aiming trebuchets at a forest... you're just crossing your fingers that you're going to hit something other than trees.

    Janis

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    Guild Artisan Facebook Connected AslanC's Avatar
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    Well then, well done ma'am

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    Professional Artist Facebook Connected Coyotemax's Avatar
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    If your history is covered, then all is good I just tend to put a lot of thought into the background these days

    But yes, you achieved the look you were after

    oh, and welcome to the guild!

    My finished maps
    "...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."

  7. #7
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
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    Welcome to the guild EdythMiller!
    You certainly achieved the effect you were after, the coloring of the map is very elegant and soft.
    Check out my City Designer 3 tutorials. See my fantasy (city) maps in this thread.

    Gandwarf has fallen into shadow...

  8. #8
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    Nice map, with nice colors indeed. I think you could randomize the mountain brushes a bit more, just to give it a less computerized feeling. And also maybe some less stroke on the rivers.

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    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    First off...Welcome Aboard!

    I think you've done a fine job, strait forward, but has a bit of 'elegance' to it (for lack of a better word). The compass rose is neat, never seen one with all of the points defined like that.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  10. #10
    Guild Novice EdythMiller's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The-Somberlain View Post
    Nice map, with nice colors indeed. I think you could randomize the mountain brushes a bit more, just to give it a less computerized feeling. And also maybe some less stroke on the rivers.
    I actually drew those with the brush tool and duplicated the layers because I couldn't figure out how to create a custom brush. I only had the patience to draw four different kinds. But I do agree- it does need a bit more randomization. I also did three types of tress and pasted them all over, but that became very tedious and too cluttered, so I nixed that idea.

    Any pointers on how to turn a layer into a brush in PS7?

    Janis

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